Security forces defuse IEDs in Baramulla, Poonch

One of the IEDs was detected on the Baramulla-Handwara highway, which is used by the army and border security force, to take supplies to the frontiers in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, while the second IED was recovered in a forested area in Poonch

A major tragedy was averted as security forces detected and defused an improvised explosive device (IED) in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.

The security forces averted tragedies in Baramulla and Poonch. (Representative Image/HT File)

The IED was detected on the Baramulla-Handwara highway, which is used by the army and border security force to take supplies to the frontiers in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Officials said that the IED was aimed at targeting security force convoys.

An army spokesperson said, “A suspected IED was detected on national highway 701 between Chaklu-Tragpura in Rafiabad, Baramulla by the Road Opening Party of BSF. Traffic including army convoys were halted for safety reasons. A bomb disposal team from the Army Camp, Langait was moved to location. IED was destroyed in-situ,” he said.

Soon after the IED was diffused, traffic was allowed to ply on the highway. “The timely detection of the IED averted a big attack,” a senior security officer said. Kashmir is already on high alert ahead of the Home Minister’s visit.

In another incident, army troops recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) and later defused it in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday, a defence spokesman said.

An army patrol party detected the IED fitted in the branch of a tree in the forest area of Sawalkot in Ratangir ridge, he said. The IED was destroyed later, the spokesman added.